Indianapolis Journal, Volume 49, Number 2, Indianapolis, Marion County, 2 January 1899 — Page 4

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THE DAILY JOURNAL MONDAY, JANUARY 2, IX9O. Washington Office—lso3 Pennsylvania Avenue Trlephonf Culls. BuGncsii Office I*3B | Editorial Room* 86 TERMS OF SI ASCRIPTION. DAILY BY MAIL. Polly only, on* 1 m< nth $ .711 I'-illy only, three months 2.n0 Dally only, one year 8.00 Datiy, Ini'ludinit Sunday, one year 10.00 Sunday only, one year 2.00 WHEN FURNISHED BY AGENTS. Dally, per week. Iy carrier T. 15 eta Sun lay. single copy 5 cts Dally and Sunday, i*er week, by carrier 20 cts WEEKLY. l‘er year SI.OO Reilneed Ruten to (Tub*. Subscribe with any of our numerous agents or send subscriptions to the JOURNAL NEWSPAPER COMPANY, IfMllniinpoliH, I ml. Persons sending the Journal through the mails In the United States should put on an eight-page paper a ONK-CEXT postage stamp; on a twelve of sixteen-page paper a TWO-CEN'T |x>stage stamp. Foreign postage is usually double these rates. All communications intended for publication In this paper must, in order to receive attention, be accompanied by the name and address of the writer. r=—— -a THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL Can I*- found at the following places; NEW YORK—Astor House. CHlCAGO—Rainier House, P. O. News Cos., *217 street, Great Northern Hotel and Grand Pacific Hotel. CINCINNATI—J. K. Hawley & Cos.. 154 Vine street. * , LOUISVILLE—C. T. Deering. northwest corner • J Third and Jefferson streets, and Louisville Hook Cos., 2'6 Fourth avenue. ST. LOUlS—Union News Company, Union Depot. Washington, and. c.— Rtggr House, Ebbitt House and Willard’s Hotel. County and township officers who oppose the reform movement will get run over. —————————— s It took Spain a long time to die In the western hemisphere, but her very last hours were comparatively easy. Columbus discovered America about four hundred years ago, but European powers have just discovered the United States. In honoring General Wood the people of Santiago have honored themselves by showing that they appreciate the splendid work lie has done there. On the linal round-up it will be found that the county and township officials opposed to reform in local government are greatly outnumbered by the people out of office who favor it. If the Cubans are wise they will see that the shortest, quickest and safest way to secure free and independent government is to join heartily with the Americans in establishing it. The Republicans will be so strong in the Senate that Addieks, who seems to have a “cinch” uikui the majority of the Republicans of the Delaware Legislature, will not be needed. A year ago it seemed that the Republican party in New York was so divided into warring factions that it would never be united. Now all elements seem united through the candidacy and efforts of Governor Roosevelt. The general opinion expressed by the state press is that the township trustees, In opposing the reform movement in the manner they did in their convention last week, made it evident that the proposed legislation is necessary. Under Indictment and with a trial postponed on his petition, Senator Quay asks his party to renominate him at once. It is a heavy demand to make. It is asserted that many Republicans will not attend the caucus, which is called for Wednesday .night. It doubtful If any other city In the coun :ry can show a smaller rate of business failures last year than did Indianapolis. Only twenty-one failures, with $322,047 liabilities, more than half covered by assets, is sure evlden.e of a general soundness in business.

9 The proclamation issued by Major General rlirooke, as military governor of Cuba, has nothing of the Spanish pronunciamento or man-on-horseback tone. 'Conceived in a most friendly spirit and expressed in lirm but conciliatory language, it reads more like the inaugural address of a civil governor than the proclamation of military authority. That is the American way. t Many will doubt the statements of Henry Norman that the officers of the French army have a conspiracy well in hand to place a Napoleon in power in France. Louis Napoleon did it. but he was President when he made himself Emperor. It seems a different undertaking, with a President in power who will be a subject when a Napoleon is made Emperor. The suspicion of some of Colonel Bryan’s real friends that his daily speech-making or other public utterance is pursuant to the advice of professed friends who are secret foes Is well grounded. There are plenty of l>emocrats who hall Colonel Bryan with apparent enthusiasm, but who hope to see him out of the way before the next national convention. Yesterday was a historic day in Havana. The Spanish llag which, at one time or another, has floated over a large part of North and South America, was hauled down for the last time, never to be raised again in tiie western hemisphere. The formal ceremonies transferring the city to the Ameri< an authorities were simple but dignifled and Impressive. Such events constitute the uiamatic situations of history. If there is a ease on record in which a United States regular army officer has not proved equal to every emergency and discharged difficult duties with Intelligence and tact we do not recall it. In peace .or in war, in command of troops in action or as military governors, as Indian agents or as j.scal agents, they are always equal to the occasion. Proofs of this are being afforded now in Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines. "Wherever the flag flies American interests are safe in the hands of American officers. One by one the able men who were leaders In the 16-to-l party of 1896 are declaring against making free silver an issue in 1900. Judge McConnell, of Chicago, is one of the latest doubters. He would make war on monopolies and trusts, which, by some illogical process of his . nd, include the gold standard. It seems not to occur to him that stamping 30 cents’ worth of the silver of a limited number of silver-mine and siiverkuilion owners $1 would be the most perfect Kce of legislation that could be devised to the greatest of monopolies. ticket which the Louisville CourierBsl has suggested for President and will be regarded as one of Mr. Sons attempt* to exasperate the |rnocracy in Kentucky, which, in its

bland stupidity, imagines that 16 to 1 is still a living Issue. If Mr. Watterson has any other purpose it must be to show the poverty of the Democratic party in material for a presidential ticket. Admiral Dewey Is a Republican In sentiment. His friends in his native State are Republicans, and all those who know him say that he is a Republican. The fact that he congratulated Governor Roosevelt on his election is a declaration of his Republicanism. As for General FTtzhugh Lee. he is a gold Democrat, who, with his great name and his positive popularity, cannot be elected to the Senate by his native State. Such a ticket would have no support in a Democratic national convention, ar.d this nobody knows better than does Mr. Henry Watterson. His “star-eyed goddess of reform” has been visiting Mr. Watterson. A WORD FOR THE CUBANS. A dispatch justifying General Brooke’s order excluding the Cuban insurgents from celebrating In Havana yesterday states, as If It were greatly to the discredit of the insurgents, that detectives have ascertained that “certain prominent Spaniards and native Cubans have been marked for death and their property for destruction, and it would be a national calamity if the conspirators were allowed to carry out their plans.” The execution of such a plan, if it existed, would Indeed have been a most unfortunate beginning of America-.! rule in Cuba, and General Brooke was justified in doing all in his power to prevent It, but we should not be too hard on the Cubans. We say if such a plan existed, for there is no evidence of it beyond the statement of a correspondent, and correspondents are not infallible. But when it is remembered what the Cubans have suffered and endured at the hands of the Spaniards and how long, one should not be surprised if they harbored some plans of revenge. Not to speak of the generations of oppression and misrule and the atrocities of previous wars, one has but to recall the barbarities practiced during the recent war to find ample justification for Cuban vindictiveness towards the Spaniards. Modern warfare affords no parallel to these barbarities. General Weyler’s reconcentrado policy, which was simply a scheme of wholesale starvation, .was the very refinement of cruelty. At one time no less than 403,000 noncombatants, chiefly women and children, were thus corralled and subjected to slow starvation. Their homes were destroyed and the country laid waste. Our officers in Cuba report that it is impossible to give an adequate idea of the utter destitution of the country and the misery of the people. It would be most surprising if the survivors of these cruelties, many of whom have lost homes, wives and children, should not wish to get some revenge on the perpetrators of them and on the resident Spaniards who aided and abetted therein. The insurgents are not model people by any means, but they W'ould be exceptionally forgiving if they had not marked some of their persecutors for death and their property for destruction. Os course, it was the duty of the American authorities to prevent the inauguration of this retaliatory policy, but a 'Jittle reflection will show that if the insurgents contemplated it they were not exceptionally vicious. If history furnishes no parallel for the barbarity of the reconeentrado policy it doe3 for the bitter feeling of the insurgents towards the Spaniards and Spanish sympathizers. Our own countrymen and ancestors during and after the revolutionary war were just about as bitter against the Tories or loyalists of that day. While the war was in progress they were, by the laws of various States, exposed to severe penalties, confiscation of property, imprisonment, banishment and finally, if they persisted, death. Hundreds of them were driven out of the country during the war, and at its conclusion thousands of them were expatriated and their property confiscated. One historian estimates the number of loyalist refugees in Canada at the close of the war at 33,000. Before evacuating New York tlie British authorities gave protection to several thousands more. “From all over the seaboard of the continent,” says a historian, “refugees made their way to New York in crowds and threw themselves in despair upon the protection of the British commander.” In the Southern States they were almost driven into the sea or on board of British ships, which carried them to tho Bahamas and the West Indies. Nothing but armed protection saved them from violence, and when they were driven out of the country their property was confiscated. The feeling of the Cuban insurgents towards the Spaniards and Spanish sympathizers is no more bitter than was that of the successful American revolutionists towards the Tories, and the Americans had not suffered a hundredth part of the wrongs the Cubans have. Matters of this kind should be looked at in the light of reason and history. The Cubans are human, and there has been nothing in Spanish rule to make them love Spaniards.

MONEY INCREASE INDER M"IvINLEY. The amount of money in the country Dec. 1, 1898, was $2,163,664.7311 March 1, 1897, the money in the country was $1,915,186,690. In other words, the volume of the currency lias Increased $245,475,062 since Major McKinley was inaugurated. That is a large Increase; in fact, it is an increase of nearly one-eighth in the twenty-one months of the McKinley administration which ended Nov. 30, 1898. The money in circulation March 1, 1897, was $1,675,694,953; Dec. 1, 1898, it had increased to $1,556.579,304—a gain of $211,184,551. or about one-eighth. There has been no incieuse In the stock in the country like this in any period of its history. Paper has been poured into the channels of circulation at periods in large quantities, but such money represented no intrinsic values In the market of the world, and was simply an expansion of artificial credit. The increase since the coming of McKinley represents real value in the money of the commercial world. In fact, all the changes made In our currency during the McKinley pctiod to Dec. 1, 1898, have been in favor of the exportable money of commerce, the stock of gold in the country being $933,930,605 the first day of last month, compared with $702,521,724 March 1, 1897. Here is an addition of $233,405,881 in gold, while the increase from other kinds of money is only $15,069,081. March 1, 1897, the stock of money in the country was $26.44 per capita, of which $9.70 was gold, while on Dec. 1, IS9S, the per capita was $28.77, of which $12.45 was gold. A few notable changes have taken place during that period of twenty-one months in the character of the currency. The treasury notes of 1890, Issued to purchase silver bullion under the Shermaif act, were reduced $20,357,000, the volume Dec. 1, 1898, being $97,193,280. On the other hand, silver certificates have increased $29,108,645, and national bank notes $8,548,476. It also appears that there were 26,721,842 more silver dollars in existence Dec. 1, IS9B, than when Major McKinley became President, which shows that the government Is coining its stiver bullion at the rate of nearly a million

THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL, MONDAY, JANUARY 2, 1899."

and a quarter of dollars each month. This Increase will not gratify the advocates of free coinage because each of these silver dollars Is a part of the subsidiary coinage which tne gold standard keeps at par with the world’s money. .MORE OPPOSITION TO REFORM. Evidence accumulates that there will be organized opposition to the movement for reform In township and county government. A few’ days ago it was the State Association of Township Trustees, represented by about 4X> persons, but speaking for the association. Now it is a county attorney, speaking in behalf of his brother officials. The following letter has been sent to various county attorneys throughout the State; Lafayette (Ind.) Dec. 19. IS9S. Dear Sir—As you are aware, there is quite an agitation going on in Indianapolis, headed by the Commercial Club, for township and county reform. I have followed this matter very closely and have come to the conclusion that, unless those fellows over there are checked, they may be successful in passing a law that will practically, if not entirely, abolish the board of commissioners. The board of commissioners in this county have been very kind to me. as perhaps your board has been to you; and I feel that the county attorneys of the various counties in Indiana should unite in a concerted effort, backed up by their respective boards of commissioners, to see to it that, if a law is passed, that the boards of commissioners ne taken care of and not abolished nor left in a condition that the office will be such that no one will desire it. I have discussed .ae matter with the board here, and we feel that we ought, in the near future, have a meeting of the county attorneys and representatives of the boards of commissioners, to consist of one member of each board .(the respective boards to select their representatives) and that the meeting be held at some rtftnvenient place in Indianapolis. If we undertake to make this fight, it will take some money to defray legitimate expenses, and it cannot be done unless there is some organization, and we cannot have any organization unless we have a meeting. If we wmuld have this meeting at Indianapolis during the holidays, we would get cut rates, and it would not be so expensive for us. Please give this letter to your board and see what they think of the matter and write me at once. I deem this matter one of the greatest importance. If they will all go into the matter the fexpense to each individual will be light. I have talked with a number of senators and representatives about this, and they are not very much in favor of foisting upon the public a system that would necessitate the election of fifty or sixty, and as high as seventy-five officials, whereas, the work is now done with one-third of that number. ■ Hoping to hear from you soon, I am sincerely yours, , DANIEL E. STORMS, County Attorney. . The animus of this letter is plain. Like the resolutions adopted by the township trustees it seeks to discredit the movement by intimating that it emanates from Indianapolis and is “headed by the Commercial Club.” If the writer of the letter will read tho platform declarations of the Republican and Democratic state conventions he will discover that demand for reform originated with the people and was voiced by their delegates. The committee which has the matter in charge includes representative men from various parts of the State, well distributed and of both political parties, and their action is as far removed as possible from any suspicion of local or personal interest. The publication of this letter ought to help the movement for reform. It certainly shows the need of it. The tone of the letter indicates that the writer fears some of his perquisites and allowances may be interfered with. "The board of commissioners in this county.” he says, “have been very kind to me.” That is the case in many counties, and, in the language of the street, ’’That’s what’s the matter.” At least it is one of the things. There is not a county in the State in which the records will not show that for years past the commissioners have been ’’very kind” to some county attorney at the expense of the people woo pay taxes. In return for this kindness the writer of the letter has “discussed the matter w T ith the board here” and has convinced them that their sacred prerogative of arbitrary and unchecked action is in danger of being interfered with for the benefit of the people, and that their interest and the interest of county attorneys calls for an alliance, offensive and defensive, against those who represent the interests of the taxpayers. “Unless those fellows over there are checked,” says the writer of the letter, meaning “the fellows” who propose to give practical form to the resolutions of the two state conventions, “they may be successful in passing a law that will practically if not entirely abolish the board of commissioners.” Therefore, county commissioners and county attorneys are appealed to for "money to defray legitimate expenses” in the effort to defeat a reform demanded by the people and designed to give them better and cheaper local government. The letter furnishes strong evidence of the need of reform, especially in the relations between county boards and county attorneys.

In Ohio the poor farms and workhouses are inspected by boards of men and women created by law and appointed by the judges of the Circuit or county courts. In Indiana the grand jury is required to visit such institutions from time to time and report to the Criminal. Court. The principle is the same, but the Ohio system has many advantages. It secures the services of men and women who take an interest in having proper administration. When they visit an institution they investigate and lay bare evils, if they exist. If the evils are not corrected they are reported and get before the public through the newspapers and the reports of state boards. Publicity is one of the things which faulty or dishonest management cannot bear. Filthy jails, workhouses and badly managed poor farms cannot stand exposure. In Ohio such boards serve without pay, but they have full power to investigate. There is much complaint of the condition of such institutions in Indiana, and as changes for the better must be brought about by local influence exerted upon county commissioners, such boards of inspection seem to have much to commend them. ’The orphan aslyums are practically under such inspection at present. Speaking of the retirement of Governor Black, of New York, the Brooklyn Eagle says he was the logical candidate of the Republican party instead of Mr. Roosevelt, because his administration was Republican. That will not do. Governor Black was responsible for the appointment of the men who permitted the canal frauds, which were not Republican. Besides, no man is logically tho Republican candidate who cannot poll the Republican vote. The logical party candidate is the man who has the ability to perform the duties of the office and whose character inspires the confidence of the party voters. Colonel Roosevelt was a very logical candidate. Peace reigns in Cuba, but the ‘"‘dogs of war” may be barking In the Philippines. Advices from Iloilo, under date of Dec. 30, report that the situation there was very grave. When the dispatch boat was leaving for Manila, General MUler, in command of the American military expedition, was preparing to land his forces and take possession of the city, the rebels having refused to surrender the place. The streets were swarming with armed Filipinos, and a bloody fight seemed imminent. The

rebels, foreign residents and a commission of natives asked for delay, but the American commander was firm and declined to grant further time. Francis Murphy’s visits to Indianapolis are always welcome. During his residence here he made many friends in every circle of society, all of them alike won by his frank geniality, his big-heartedness and his earnestness of purpose. Not one of these, whether the brother reformer, the mere observer of philanthropic effort or the man who has been nelped to abandon profligate ways but feels the better for a greeting from this cheerful evangelist. After a two weeks’ stay h passes on to other fields with abundant good wishes to speed his way. Ten cents a bushel advaffee in the price of corn means a large increase to the revenues of many farmers who have full cribs. The advance is legitimate, because it is based upon natural conditions, and not upon speculation. The advance is due in part to the large demand for export, which may be checked. The large export, how’ever, proves that at last the foreigner has come to appreciate the positive value of corn as a food. When its worth is appreciated the export demand will be large. At least in one particular the Kaiser Welhelm must be ranked with Admiral Dewey as a hero. He has refused to write a $5,000 magazine article. The most cheering part of all this literary situation is that the public is beginning—nay, has begun—to sit up and take notice, and not only regards such articles as a prostitution of the legitimate ends of literature, but also as a cheapening of the man himself. The lecture and kissing tour of Hobson, with all its disgusting features, was hard on Hobson, but it was the making of public sentiment on the subject, as it crystallized an already half-formed sense of loathing for the principle of turning honestly won fame into coin as rapidly as possible, dropping from the sublime to the sordid with a suddenness that shocked the sacred emotions of the hero worshipers. The Cubans, in stating that after they had waged a long war full of hardships and privations, the United States stepped in and “snatched victory and authority” from them, neglect to add, “of which w r e had neither."

BUBBLES IN '1 HE AIR. Soon Be Over. Watts—l understand the Chinese are the most lightly-taxed people on earth. Potts—You needn’t worry about that. We shall probably civilize them before long. Wrongly Adjectlved. “She is so lively and volatile!” said one of her admirers. “I positively must dissent,” said one who no longer admired, having become passe, as it were. “Anything volatile quickly dries up.” Oveinwlng (lie Laity. “Say, you will never make a living out of the faith cure business, if you insist on charging more than the common doctors.” “That is just the way I shall make a living. People will think it must be a. good thing.” Scientifically Correct. "And when I proposed to her she turned all the colors of the rainbow at once.” “How can you make such a ridiculous assertion?” “All the colors at once, if you have not forgotten your high school lessons, you ought to know make white.” THE SENATORIAL RACE* Montgomery county Republicans are divided In their senatorial preferences between Taylor and Beveridge, although most of the active workers are booming the latter gentleman.—Crawfordsville Republican. Judge Taylor Is the best equipped man in the lot for the senatorship. He is a man of vast information upon the very subjects that will engage the attention of Congress* possibly the whole of the term of the senator that is to be chosen.—Brookville American. All the candidates for the senatorship are men who have worked their why up from (he most humble conditions. If the charge is true that the United States Senate is becoming a plutocratic body, certainly Indiana will do nothing this year to help such a tendency along.—Anderson Herald. The counting of noses here shows a large majority of Fayette county Republicans in favor of Albert J. Beveridge for United States senator, and if our representatives in the Legislature wish to reflect the sentiments of the constituency they will undoubtedly vote for him in the caucus.—Connersville News. In Albert J. Beveridge, if elected to the Senate, the people w'ould have an advocate for “every wrong that needs resistance and every just cause that lacks assistance.” In honoring him with a seat in the Senate, Indiana would be honoring the State of Lane, Caleb B. Smith, Morton. Harrison and Fairbanks. —Liberty Herald. The idea that a declamation is the only needful requisite of a statesman is obsolete. Oratory may be a good thing in its way to tickle the ears of the groundlings, but is no more a part of statesmanship than is the playing of a cornet or the pounding of a piano, the wielding of a baton or the striking of high C in a cadenza.—Peru Republican. Mr. Posey will get a strong vote from southern Indiana, but if his chances of success are not certain then his support will scatter to the other gentlemen. In Greene county Mr. Taylor has many admirers on account of his early stand for sound money, but no more than Mr. Beveridge. Mr. Steele is considered by our people as strong timber and Mr. I-lanly is credited with some sterling qualities.—Bloomfield News. The Republican would like to have seen its fellow-citizen, Hon. C. S, Hernly, nominated for senator, but taking the advice of Cromwell he has “put aside ambition,” and has publicly announced that he is not a candidate for any office. After Mr. Hernly, our next choice is Hon. J. Frank Hanly, who best represents the rank and file of the Republican party of all the candidates now before the people.—Henry County Republican. Mr. Taylor is recognized primarily on account of his association with currency movements, Mr. Steele us a soldier and politician. and Mr. Posey as an all-around fellow 7 who has done good service and got limited reward. Haniy and Beveridge are distinctively the young men’s candidates, and their supporters are enthusiastic advocates of the idea of filling vacancies in the United States Senate with new blood.—Lafayette Courier. The Tribune’s poll of Henry county on the choice of Republican voters for United States senator reveals a very “spotted” condition of things. One towmship or precinct is almost Tsolid for a certain candidate, and the next one will be devided between a half dozen. Out of nearly 1,000 votes, Hernly has a decided plurality, but with Hernly out of the race Taylor and Beveridge lead One precinct gave an almost solid vote f° r Henry U. Johnson.—New Castle Tribune. There has been rather free expressions lately of the sentiment of leading Republicans of this county. But for any one to presume that that sentiment is universal for any one candidate is preposterous. Each candidate has his friends here. If we were going to name them in the order of their strength in this county, we would say Hanly, Taylor, Beveridge, Posey. Steele. We base this on expressions from numerous Republicans over the county.—Greensburg Standard. That there is a strong sentiment in Howard county in favor of Hanly 1 for senator cannot be denied, and it Is probable that if the question could be decided at the ballot box he would receive a majority of the Republican votes of the county. In some of the townships the sentiment is almost unanimous for him. The Republicans of Howard county know Mr. Hanly and have always admired him on account of his social qualities and oratorical ability. The News knows nothing to the discredit of Mr. Hanly, but

it believes that he is not the superior of Judge Taylor or the equal of Mr. Beveridge in point of ability.—Kokomo News. Several Wabash Republicans will go to Indianapolis next week to take a hand in the closing days of the contest for Unit# States senator, supporting Major Steele, whose stock now seems to be climbing. It is understood that Perry Heath, first assistant postmaster general, who is now on the ground, will aid Major Steele quietly, and that Col. W. T. Durbin, of Anderson, who has obtained a leave of absence, will also lend his assistance to Major Steele. —Wabash Plain Dealer. There may be latent greatness incased somewhere in J. Frank Haniy. Thus far it is wholly undiscovered, and we have heard of no one who ever has a clew to its whereabouts. Indiana ought to insist that Mr. Haniy file a bill of particulars setting out the reasons why he should ask to be elected United States senator. In every other candidate in the field there is some strength upon which such a bill might rest. But in Haniy’s case—why, we're almost tempted to call him jay Frank Haniy.—Covington Friend. The time for the election of a senator is very near at hand and biographies of the different aspirants are appearing in print. From these we learn that some of them had very hard times when they were little boys chopping cordwood, plowing corn, digging ditches and running on errands for their individual mas. This is ail very nice and we are real glad they were all good, hardworking little boys: but the real question for the General Assembly to decide is, which one of them at this precious hour is best equipped to make a good United States senator.—Fowier Republican. LOCAL, GOVERNMENT REFORM. All the proposed bill to reform the township methods is intended to do is to make the township trustees directly responsible to the people. It does not meditate the abolition of its salary. What then is there in it to which trustees take exception?—Richmond Item. There is nothing that will do so much toward securing the enactment of a law making a radical change in township management as the opposition of township trustees. Yv hen trustees oppose a change legislators are easily convinced that there is something wrong.—Plymouth News. This is "a government of the people, by the people and for the people,” not of township trustees and county commissioners, by township trustees and county commissioners. and the sooner these officials realize this fact and govern themselves accordingly, the better it will be for them. —Rusnvilie Graphic. The township trustees of the State in their meeting at Indianapolis took a stand against any reform in township matters and crticicised those persons who have been instrumental in preparing a measure of reform. Such action on the part of the trustees only emphasizes the necessity of such reform and will have a tendency to forward instead of staying it.—Columbus Republic. We are glad to say that Hamilton county has been fortunate in its township trustees and that no gross irregularities have occurred. But that does not make the system the best. It is admitted by everybody that both township trustees and county commissioners need some checks and restraints. They should not levy taxes and spend the money. Their legislative and administrative functions should be separated. In discussing this great question we should not confine ourselves to local conditions. —Noblesville Hedger. No public official upon whom devolves the duty for levying taxes should be elected for a longer term than two years, and such official should be eligible to re-election. The office of township trustee is a most important one. That official .has supervision of Ihe schools, of the public highways, of ditches and dispenses aid to the poor. If conscientious and prudent in the discharge of these duties he deserves to be retained in such capacity. If negligent and imprudent two years is long enough for taxpayers to bear the evils of an unwise administration of township affairs.—Logansport Pharos. One of the measures the Legislature will be asked to pass in the county and township reform bill is that providing for a uniform system of accounts in county and township offices. The best system of bookkeeping should be determined. Then it should be adopted in all of the counties of the State. The state auditor will be a regular expert to go over the local accounts. They should be examined not only when there is suspicion of misconduct, but regularly as a constant precaution. This examination will be facilitated by a uniform system of accounts. The only wonder is why this reform hasn’t been introduced before. —Evansville Courier.

The township trustees’ organization at Indianapolis resolved in favor of the existing method of transacting township business and against proposed reform legislation. In view of the fact that the State conventions of both political parties declared in favor of reform in the laws governing county and township affairs, that part of the resolution favoring the retention of the system now in operation is a rebuke to the party platforms. It should be remembered, however, that less than half the trustees of the State were present, and it should be hoped that all not present are not in sympathy with the resolution adopted.—Martinsville Reporter. It is gratifying to note that a lively interest is being manifested in the question of reform in county and township government. Certain it is that a reform in this direction is very much needed. Investigation by expert accountants in the past two years brought to light great irregularities in the me sos transacting county business, and it seems but reasonable to infer that under the present system there is too great a temptation for fraud and peculation on the part of officials. Any changes that will help to make officials’ crookedness more difficult to conceal, or which will remove as far as possible .• the temptations to dishonesty would likety be welcomed by the people.—South Bend Times. The state convention of township trustees adjourned after adopting a resolution that the existing law governing them ought not be changed. Nevertheless many of the speakers urged reform in the performance of their statutory duties, such as care of the poor, of the roads and the schools. This of itself was evidence that reforms are necessary. A good, honest trustee, one who exercises business ability and diligently looks after his duties, is a most valuable officer. For such a man the present law is sufficient. But a great many men are elected to this important office because they are “good fellows,’’ or because they “need the office.” This puts into the place men who are incompetent, and before their terms end their affairs are usually badly tangled up. —Marion Chronicle. The powers of the township trustee are more extensive than most people suppose. He decides how much money shall be raised by taxation; what this money shall be spent for; what shall be paid for an article or service; he decides w'hether a contract has been performed; gives out the public charity, controls the schools, the highways and the business ariairs of a township. For all this the officer receives poor pay and it is only natural that the business of the office is often neglected. In some directions his powers should be enlarged and he should be better paid. Asa check or restraint upon his powers he should be required to publish the details of his expenditures for the year and should make his tax levy subject to the supervision of an annual meeting of the taxpayers Os each township. A board of supervisors would not prove satisfactory, while a township meeting would retain all the advantages claimed for a board of supervisors with none of the disadvantages. —Covington Friend. THE LYNCHING OK TYLER. If the impressions that Attorney General Taylor has of the Scottsburg lynching are correct as reported, the sheriff of Scott county failed to do his whole duty the night Marion Tyler was lynched.—Seymour Republican. The moral effect of lynching is degrading and gives tendencies to multiply murder. If a man has never shed blood nor participated in it he is slow to take the first step. If he assists in the shedding of blood through an organized mob, acting with that intention, he eases his conscience on the theory that his act was justifiable. Having once found excuse for crime it is easier afterward. We are forced to conclude from theory and precept that lynching is not a purifying agency in Indiana.—Seymour Democrat. The circumstances and condition surrounding the Scottsburg lynching of last Saturday were indeed startling. For two months the mob had been forming, the plans were perfected and carried out with a smoothness and finish that was awful. The victim had not committed murder. If the county authorities are unable to punish the murderers then Governor Mount should exhaust every means at his command to enthrone justice. He will have the undivided support of the press and public opinion if he does take up thl* fight and it may be that it may amount

to a little more than the Investigation of the Ripley tragedy of last year. Life is getting too cheap in the bills of southern Indiana.—Carthage Record. The most deplorable feature of the Tyler lynching at Scottsburg as it affects law and public order is that the crime was committed practically with the approval of the sheriff, whose duty it was to protect the prisoner at the risk of injury to himself. The evidence adduced by the attorney general shows that the sheriff handed over to the mob his keys to the jail without a protest, when he knew perfectly well that the prisoner in his custody as a sworn officer of the law v.as to be murdered. The fact was also established by evidence that the sheriff saw the victim of the mob hanging and could have saved his life by cu.tung the rope, but he did nothing. * * • All of the executive power of the State should be employed to punish this mob and the sheriff who appears to have been its silent partner. —Terre Haute Express. THE PHILIPPINES. Prosperity being on for a long engagement McKinley is now acting as an advance agent for destiny.—San Francisco Chronicle. It is hoped that the trouble at Iloilo will take a few kinks out of the city's name, as well as out of the insurgents.—Chicago News. It begins to look as If the Insurgents in the Philippines were going to settle Aguinaldo’s carrer without the help of willing allies.—New York Press. The more the Philippine proposition is considered the stronger the conviction becomes that the United States has an obligation there which it cannot shirk or evade.—Cleveland Leader. It is said that Admiral Dewey wants a first-class statesman sent to the Philippines to help him. Dewey is too modest. He is a first-class statesman himself, if he only knew it.—Minneapolis Tribune. ’The truth is that the inspiration (of expansion) comes partly from dollars, partly rrom duty, partly frem an elevated sense of national glory and power, and whatever part may come from each source, the inspiration, as a whole, is a credit to the Nation. —Kansas City Star. The President’s proclamation tenders to the Filipinos a large measure of home rule, eligibility to official positions, a fair judiciary, freedom of speech, press and religion, and he who runs may read between the lines assurance of a sound licking if that is preferred in lieu of ail otiier American favors.—Louisville Times. By at once establishing our authority throughout the archipelago we will give the people a just and stable government, protection against the aggressions of greedy powers, capital and skill and enterprise to develop the resources of the country and all the blessings of peace and modern civilization. No greater boon could be conferred upon the population of the islands than the prompt, vigorous, unhesitating of our power and authority over them.—New York Herald. THE CUBAN SITUATION. General Brooke does not sit lightly on the Cuban stomach.—Memphis Commercial-Ap-peal. Every outbreak these hotheaded insurgents make pushes back the hour of Cuban independence.—Cleveland Plain Dealer. And so Cuba is to be put on a gold basis. That is the proper way to begin the establishment of a stable government.—Boston. Herald. Cuban soldiers refuse to swear allegiance to the United States. This is an excellent way to postpone Cuban independence. —Cleveland Leader. A Cuban offered the American officers $2.50 for a place on the new Havana police force, and yet it is said the Cubans are incapable of self-government.—Kansas City Star. It is already becoming a fixed belief with a great many people that those Cubans will have to be moved up to the Klondike to get a proper chill on their blood.—St. Paul Globe. It is obvious that unless another Garcia arises the day of Cuban independence is remote. The people of the island have lessons to learn before they can be fit for self-gov-ernment and under their present leaders they are not learning them.—Washington Times. A strong, wise policy would avoid every possible cause for irritation between the Cubans and the United States. It is too much to expect such a policy, howe'ver, under the direction of the present War Department.—Chicago News. Cuban patriots shouldn’t mind a postponement of their celebration of national freedom. They have Uncle Sam s word as a guarantee of their liberty, and it depends entirely upon their own conduct how soon he leaves them to celebrate as long as they see tit.—St. Louis Republic.

VANDERBILT AND HIS FAIR LOVE. Here's richness in this Fair-Vanderbilt alliance.—Boston Herald. Young William K. Vanderbilt forgets that none hut the brave deserve the Fair. He didn’t go to war.—Cleveland Leader. The Vanderbilt-Fair w’edding will put the young couple in a fair way toward enjoying everything in this life which money can buy. —Albany Times-Union. The middle name of the young Mr. Vanderbilt who is to marry Miss Virginia Fair, is Kissam. He will have an early opportunity to live up to his name.—St. Paul Globe. Would the union of a New York youth with a California girl, and the consequent pooling of their great fortunes, come under the head of those illegal eomblnations known as trusts?—Cleveland Plain Dealer. A Well-Earned Honor. Albany (N. Y.) Journal. The appointment of General Lawton to succeed General Otis in command of the troops in the Philippines when the latter becomes governor general, will be eminently satisfactory. General Lawton made a fine reputation in the Cuban campaign, proving himself to be one of the best soldiers in the service. No Comfort for Tliem. Kansas Journal. Dyspepsia will not take much comfort from the statement that the late Senator Morrill reached the ripe age of eighty-eight, although a lifelong sufferer from indigestion. Dyspeptics don’t take much comfort from anything. Worth Noting;. Baltimore American. There is one fact worthy of notice in the present dispute about the meat furnished for the army. There was no complaint of the food furnished volunteers by the Red Cross, private societies and individuals. Contraction in Missouri. Kansas City Star. The Missouri senator who believes in contraction rather than expansion should be gratified. The postoffice at Vest, Phelps county, has been discontinued. A Warning. Washington Post. The Democratic party should bear in mind Mr. Carnegie’3 disposition to become the whole thing in any enterprise in which he happens to embark. Bnt It’* Grow ing Smaller. Detroit Tribune. No doubt Mr. Bryan may continue to do very well as the leader of that portion of the Democratic party which likes to be led by Mr. Bryan. So It Will. Baltimore American. If *hey keep on discovering new microbes and bacilli ones health will soon become almost as much of a nuisance as the war literature. An Ovenlght. Washington Post. Much troubje and contention could have been avoided if some o' the young men had only thought to have the Constitution eoovrighted. An Antidote Ne' cted. Boston Herald. Some effective antidote ought to be discovered for these poisoning mysteries They are getting to be quite too frequent! The Occasion and the Man. Detroit Tribune. Many an Ohio man will prick up his ears when he reads that Dewey needs the assistance of a first-class statesman at Alanila. Need* Moral Support. Baltimore Herald. The turning of a New-Year leaf j B easv The trouble is to keep it turned. '

THE TRUE IMPERIALISM the people of the present Alia THE GOVERNMENT OF TO-DAY. —• It I Too I>atc to Talk Against yunsion, and the CollapelonlsU Are Not nud Will Not Be Popular. *• To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal: Harriet Martineau, traveling leisurely throughout this country more than sixty years ago. made some very clear observations and wrote some singularly wise criticism upon our social, political and domestio institutions. Not a few of her remarks, which at the time she uttered them were received as but the spiteful strictures of a deaf and unhappy woman, now stand affirmed by time, as prophecies fulfilled in due season. In speaking of the vital principle upon which our government is sphered she said: “A democratic government must always be left free to be operated upon by the will of the majority of the time being.” And. in discussing the reason why our government had not chosen to reserve large areas of the public domain to itself, in order to rent the lanus and thus secure revenue, she said: ••The weightiest reason of all is that, in the United States, the people of to-day are the government of to-day; the people of fifty years hence will be the government of fifty years hence, and it would not suit the people of vo-day to sequestrate their property for the benefi of their successors, any better than it would suit the people of fifty years hence to be legislated for by those of to-day.” Edgar A. Poe, in one of his snarling paragraphs, divided people into “men, women and Harriet Martineaus,” but the fine insight of a truly great mind does not depend upon the classification of sex or the dicta of splenetic criticism for its certain recognition: and there never has been a time when Americans could draw greater comfort than they now can from the golden maxim, “The people of to-day are the government of to-day.” The distinguished gentlemen whose political doctrine invariably takes the form of “protesting” against progress, the statesmen who are always “anti”-something or other, and who just at present are anti-ex-pansionists, may be all lumped together, and. with due respect for their sincerity, labeled as “the statesmen who contend that the people of a hundred years ago should be the government of to-day.” These are the would-be leaders who, with their faces turned to the rear, gaze fixedly and yearningly upon the far past, quite oblivious of the present day and the fast approaching morrow. These are the gentlemen who would scruple to build an electric railroad or a telephone without first consulting Benjamin Franklin—these the up-to-date guides of American progress whom we find trying to hammer out battle ship armor plate with George Washington’s hatchet in the year 1899! Precedents are good things when they offer an adequate measure of facts or a competent criterion of judgment. Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, Hamilton—those were men of mighty stature, giants in their day, and noble models of what a statesman should be. No American who is true to his country is untrue to the spirit of reverent appreciation with which even the names of those fathers are spoken and written. But the people of to-day are the government of to-day. The stalwart pioneers of the civilization that we now have upon us “Builded better than they knew', The conscious stones to beauty grew.”

They were God-sent men for their day and its needs; we are God-sent men for our day and its needs. They laid the solid concrete foundation of free government; each, generation must broaden that foundation and add its chamber to the superstructure. Washington presided over a small area of country and a meager and unenlightened Nation, compared with our present magnificent domain and our eighty millions of educated, up-to-date, world-leading people. What his people then needed Washington gave them. But what we need now we must take for ourselves. This is right. Each age has its exclusive rights, duties, services, We cannot cast our responsibilities back upon Washington, Madison and Jefferson, or upon Adams, Jay and Hamilton. Those of us who would do this are miserable cowards, no matter how sincere may be the impulse that makes our knees tremble. “IMPERIALISM.” A word about “imperialism.” Certain timid souls are objecting to the word; but their very objections carry the unmistakable quality of timorousness. An imperial nation, in the broad current sense, is a dominant nation; an Imperial civilization is a controlling civilization. When we say “imperialism” we mean just the opposite of “provincialism.” We mean that our country has inevitably and irreversibly outgrown its garments of immaturity and Philistinism and stands ready to clothe itself with cosmopolitan virility. Used in this liberal sense, the only sense natural to a large and independent mind, “imperialism” is a word of wholesome and encouragng influence, not a word to be quibbled over by pale-blooded grammarians and academical logoiogists. But, suppose that to satisfy the squeamishness of the “anti” people we take “expansion” as the word. What is there in it to be afraid of? Our whole history has been expansion history. Territory after territory has been annexed. Florida, Louisiana, Texas, California, the great West, Alaska, Hawaii, speak for themselves. But for expansion, and forcible expansion at that, our territory and our population, our national extent and power would 10-day be insignificant as compared with what they really are. It is too late to talk against expansion. It is not a possible issue. We have already expanded. The simple question is: Shall we collapse? We have set the sign of our civilization like a glorious star over the Philippines, Porto Rico and Cuba, sihall we haul it down? The people of to-day are the government of to-day. Cleveland hauled our ilag down in Hawaii; but the people hauled it up again. It Is up to stay. The people are not in an uncertain mood about collapsing. The collapsionists are not popular. I have traveled well over thirteen of our States since the declaration of war with "Spain, and have made public and private addresses in favor of expansion, and have mingled with the intelligent people of city, town and country. There is really but one popular sentiment, and President McKinley touched it with admirable directness and skill when, in speaking of our fiag on the new territories, he said: “Who will haul it down?” But the collapsionists (note the fitness of t e name that I would fix upon them)—the collapsionists (Mr. Bryan collapsed as seen as he got out of the army)—the collapsionists, I say. are very much in favor of the consent of the governed;” but they have not read history. When the Territory of •uisiana was bought by us we never once considered the will of the people within its borders. We bought them with the terri°ry aS an a bl >urtenanc e of It. When French flag was lowered In New Orleans, on Dec. 20, 1803, the French colonists standing by cried like children. I wltll a P erß ° n who was present. u o flag of our country was raised. It never as been successfully hauled down; 8 there now, and who regrets it? tv, L kn ° W that the Whigs, in time of ? n X^Can War * were collapsionists. They J colla Psed their party by springing a ssue. It is right interesting to turn f e . and r *d the speeches and editorial* or me collapsionists and anti-expansionists a tUe over fifty years ago. They